


Homecoming

by EarthboundJedi



Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, Happy Ending, Returning Home, i think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:08:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25779436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EarthboundJedi/pseuds/EarthboundJedi
Summary: Barbara Lake is about to leave for work when there's a knock at the door...---MAJOR spoilers for the end of Wizards. You've been warned.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 171





	Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> So I honestly didn't think I would be writing anything TOA-related again for a long time (if ever), but then Wizards went and happened. My brain was screaming at myself to write this instead of working on my other wip tonight, so... here ya go. ^.^

“Walt, I’m scheduled for a double shift tonight, so I’ll be home late,” Barbara called out, shrugging on her coat over her scrubs before reaching for her purse. “Think you can handle things until I get back?”

“What’s half a dozen toddlers compared to fighting off a horde of Gumm-Gumms?” Strickler remarked, appearing from around a corner. He was holding one of the children at arm’s length, trying to keep it from grabbing onto his horns. “But it  _ would _ be nice to have some peace and quiet around here. How long do we have to keep watching over these little rugrats?”

“Just until the orphanage is able to finish the expansion.” Barbara chuckled, “Though it looks like that little one has become quite attached to you.” The child in question had finally succeeded in its quest to grab one of Strickler’s horns, and it was now squealing with delight at its accomplishment.

“Ha, ha, very funny.”

Barbara smiled and pulled out her keys. Then, just as she turned towards the front door, she heard a timid knock.

Strickler raised an eyebrow, “Who could that be?”

“I’m… not sure.” Barbara motioned for Strickler to hide himself from view. Most of Arcadia didn’t have any qualms about trolls anymore, but one could never be too cautious. Once he was out of sight, she carefully twisted the doorknob to open the door…

She gasped, letting her keys fall to the floor with a loud clatter.

“ _ Jim? _ ” she whispered, tears already gathering at the corners of her vision.

Standing in the doorway, seemingly clear as day, was her gangly, battle-scarred,  _ completely human _ teenage son.

“Jim… is that really you?”

The vision before her chuckled and gave her a half-smile, a mix of nervousness and relief, “Yeah, Mom, it’s me.”

Whatever spell that had kept her rooted in place shattered, and Barbara rushed to embrace her son. “Oh, Jim, thank heavens,” she cried freely as she wrapped her arms around him, finally assured that yes, he  _ was  _ real, and yes, he was definitely a human boy again rather than made of living stone. They stood there for a short eternity, with Jim trembling slightly against her as he returned the hug.

Eventually Barbara pulled away just barely enough to study his similarly tear-stricken face. She smiled as she gently wiped away some of his tears, lingering slightly on the scar on his cheekbone. “But…  _ how?  _ What… how could this…?”

Jim beamed up at her, flashing her one of those bright, sunshiny smiles she had missed so much, “It’s… kind of a long story.”

“Well, I’ve got plenty of time,” she smiled, wiping at her tears with the back of her hand before reaching into her pocket for her cell phone.

“But, dear,” came Strickler’s voice from the kitchen, “what about the hospital?”

“They’ll understand.” She quickly finished up her text to the nurse in charge of scheduling so that she could get back to hugging Jim. “Over half of my department owes me favors, anyway.”

Jim shifted in her arms, peering over her shoulder into the house. “So, Strickler’s still here, I see.”

“He’s not all that bad. And he’s pretty handy to have around the house,” she winked.

“Ugh, whatever you say, Mom.”

She gave Jim another squeeze before releasing him. “Now come on in and get settled. Are you hungry? I think there’s some frozen pizza in the freezer we can heat up.”

Jim’s eyes lit up. “Pizza sounds  _ amazing _ , Mom.” Before following her into the house, he bent over to pick up something leaning against the doorframe. Something that looked very distinctly like a sword.

“Um, Jim? What’s that?”

By this point, Strickler had wandered out of the kitchen to be closer to the duo. Thankfully the child he was holding still had its deathgrip on his horns, otherwise the changeling might have very well dropped the poor thing once he got a good glimpse of Jim’s sword. “Young Atlas,” he started, eyes wide, “is that…  _ Excalibur _ ?”

Barbara felt her jaw drop as she gave her son a double-take. Jim simply stood there, grinning sheepishly, “Uh, yeah… I guess it is.”

“You  _ guess _ ?” Barbara automatically put her hands on her hips.

“Well, no. I mean… yes? It’s -”

“A long story?”

Jim nodded.

Barbara playfully ruffled his hair. “Then we’d better get started on that, huh, kiddo?”

She ushered her son through the doorway, smiling from ear to ear as she closed the door behind him.


End file.
